"Language: A Key Mechanism of Control"~the media and how to manipulate them

"Language: A Key Mechanism of Control"

Since winning control of Congress, Rep. Newt Gingrich (R.-Ga.) has
constantly complained about "destructive" and "negative" coverage from the
"liberal elite media."

For example, when asked on Nightline (11/29/94) about his reference to the
Clintons as "counter-culture McGoverniks," he first insisted that he had
been misquoted--"I used the term McGovernite, not McGovernik--it was one of
those things that the Times picked up and therefore it's now history"
(actually, at least four different newspapers--including the New York
Times--quoted Gingrich in their November 10 editions as calling the
Clintons "counter-culture McGoverniks.")--and then blamed the media for
selective reporting: "I didn't say that to attack the president, I was
asked an analytic question. But because I am now the next speaker, I am
learning that everything I say has to be worded carefully and thought
through at a level that I've never experienced before in my life."

In fact, the new speaker of the House--who once described his goal as
"reshaping the entire nation through the news media" (New York Times,
12/14/94)--has given a great deal of thought to the media and how to
manipulate them. One Newtonian axiom is "fights make news." (Boston Globe,
11/20/94) Another skill he has taught to Republican candidates through his
political organization, GOPAC, is how to create a "shield issue" to deflect
criticism:

"A shield issue is just, you know, your opponent is going to attack you as
lacking compassion," a GOPAC training tape advises. "You better find a good
compassion issue where, you know, you show up in the local paper holding a
baby in the neonatal center, and all you're trying to do is shield yourself
from the inevitable attack."

But the clearest expression of Gingrich's philosophy of media came in a
GOPAC memo entitled "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control." Distributed to
GOP candidates across the country, the memo's list of words for Democrats
and words for Republicans was endorsed by Gingrich in a cover letter: "The
words in that paper are tested language from a recent series of focus
groups where we actually tested ideas and language." Next time you hear
Gingrich complain about media focusing on the negative, refer back to these
lists.

As you know, one of the key points in the GOPAC tapes is that "language
matters." In the video "We Are a Majority," Langauage is listed as akey
mechanism of control used by a majority party, along with Agenda, Rules,
Attitude and Learning. As the tapes have been used in training sessions
across the country and mailed to candidates, we have heard a plaintive
plea: "I wish I could speak like Newt."

That takes years of practice. But we believe that you could have a
significant impact on your campaign and the way you communicate if we help
a little. That is why we have created this list of words and phrases.

This list is prepared so that you might have a directory of words to use in
writing literature and mail, in preparing speeches, and in producing
electronic media. The words and phrases are powerful. Read them. Memorize
as many as possible. And remember that, like any tool, these words will not
help if they are not used....

Contrasting Words

Often we search hard for words to help us define our opponents. Sometimes
we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps
you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood
contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their
party.

Optimistic Positive Governing Words

Use the list below to help define your campaign and your vision of public
service. These words can help give extra power to your message. In
addition, these words help develop the positive side of the contrast you
should create with your opponent, giving your community something to vote
for!

Answers

You save articles from 1995? Well, spin doctoring, weasel-wording,
whatever you call it has been around forever. It was hardly invented
by The Newt. Orwell called it "newspeak" in his book "1984", published
in 1949. Works for me.

Lars, this was part of Newt's course he sent to all of the freshmen
congressmen on how to manipulate the media for the republican "cause".
Yes, I read 1984, not everyone has. There was a concerted effort to
teach one party how to use negitive campaigning and negitive wording
to destroy their opponents.
Unfortunatly the masses are not aware of the fact that they are
being manipulated and lied to in this manner.

This explains why so
many people still believe all of the BS that was said against Clinton
and during the campaign, Gore. Even though most of it was proven to be
lies and exagerations. Once the headlines convinced people like maria,
the retractions and clairifications in the back page of the third
section of the newspapers were basicly ignored. So the assumptions are
still considered fact.